Article by: Andrii Vlasenko/Open Media Hub

Denys Kotenko is a former Donbas war fighter from Dnipro. He left home when he was 18 and went to the frontline. He had no military training before, but during two months he turned into a soldier of “Azov” regiment.

Denys spent two years at war and participated in the battle for Shyrokino near Mariupol, one of the most successful offensive operations of the Ukrainian army. After returning home, Denys was involved in civic initiatives. One of them is conducting lessons of courage for students in schools of Dnipro. Along with his friends, comrades-in-arms Denys tells what they went through at the frontline, why they went there and how the war changed them.

“I can hear from my peers that they want to leave somewhere as soon as possible, to work abroad. We cannot judge them, but we think that this is irrelevant at least. At the time of striving, at the time when the youth have to lead the way, and today they really do, we don’t consider is appropriate to leave this country,” Denys says.

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